In large passenger vehicles, in particular in aircrafts for long haul flights, passenger capacities tend to be ever increasing, while at the same time the efficiency of the available space inside the cabin is more and more improved. For example, cabin monuments, such as galleys and lavatories, are increasingly space efficient and allow the integration of an optimized amount of passenger seats. Besides storing food and other items it is mandatory to provide sufficient space for collecting waste.
Waste may arise from meal packages and other used items from the passengers. Simply collecting waste would lead to a plurality of bulky plastic bags, which need to be stored safely. To improve the waste collection and storage, it is known to use waste compaction systems, which may compact bulky plastic bags containing meal packages, etc. into compact and easily storable waste packages.
The most common approach for waste compaction systems in civil aircraft is based on electromechanical waste compactors, which are rather powerful but comprise a high weight due to the mechanical components such as an electrical motor, gears, supports and bearings. As a result, a large part of the available space in a half size or full size trolley may be allocated for the electromechanical waste compactor, such that only a reduced amount of waste is collectable with this trolley. Further, due to the weight of the electromechanical compactor, the electromechanical compactor is usually a fixed part of the galley and cannot be moved through the cabin. The available space for storing waste and/or other goods in the galley is therefore reduced, while the reliability of electromechanical waste compactors may be low and/or insufficient.
It is further known to use vacuum-based waste compactors, which comprise vacuum connector at the trolley unit that comprise a sleeve or hull surrounding a waste bag, which sleeve or hull is evacuated and thereby presses the waste bag to a compact package via applying a vacuum. However, compacting the waste in the trolley via a vacuum requires a vacuum source to which the connector of the trolley is to be connected, if the compaction of waste is to be carried out. Thus, for compacting the waste, the trolley has to be connected to the vacuum source. In particular, an intermediate compaction of waste collected by the trolley may not be practical, as the vacuum source may just be available at the galley. Patent document EP2949459A1 illustrates such a trolley.
Even though vacuum-based waste compactors may overcome the disadvantages of a electromechanical waste compactor, vacuum-based waste compactors may suffer from a further disadvantage. Waste collected in a waste bag may comprise different kinds of waste. Waste may comprise packages, bottles, cans, plastic packaging material, paper packaging material, carton packaging material, cups, leftover food and liquids. Some of this waste may be easily compacted, wherein other waste may not be easily compacted. In particular, liquids may not be subject to a compaction. And even cans and cups may require large forces in order to be compacted. It has been found in practice, that vacuum-based waste compactors may not allow a high compaction rate resulting from waste parts having a high form stability and/or being incompressible.